


Not Like The Others

by NervousAliceCurious



Series: Escape the Despair [3]
Category: Danganronpa-All Media Types, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Best Friends, Expositional Goodness, Gen, Hiding, Houseboats, I Know Nothing About Houseboats, In The Lion's Den, No Hacking Gun, Running Away, Self-Sacrifice, Taking The Bullet, Tangled Up, Toppling Over Barrels, Towa City, Well-Intentioned Extremist, post-tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-21 12:16:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 3,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17642633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NervousAliceCurious/pseuds/NervousAliceCurious
Summary: Left on their own after Emily's passing, Kokoro and Korokuma must survive a manhunt by someone who is under the impression that the little robotic bear is bad news.





	1. How

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Escape the Ronpa: ETN Fans Edition](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16581965) by [ETNMystic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ETNMystic/pseuds/ETNMystic). 



> How did I write all the drafts in a day!?
> 
> I have no idea...

Kokoro didn’t know how things had gotten this bad this quickly.

 

But she reckoned it had something to do with Hope’s Peak Academy.

 

 

The place where those 18 students had disappeared from...

 

 

And the place where 2 of those students had _died_.

 

 

 

_It’s the only place where anything weird has happened, anyway…_

 

 

**But maybe I’m wrong.**

 

 

_I don’t know._

 

 

 

**I don’t know anything at all.**


	2. Survival Tactics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What do you do when you could literally die at any given moment?

The street she was now standing in was eerily quiet.

 

 

No signs of life were visible.

 

 

No monsters, no blood, no dead bodies…

 

 

Nothing.

 

 

’Something is not right here’, Korokuma asserted.

 

‘Miss Emily said that those creatures were everywhere, destroying everything’.

 

 

‘Yeah’, Kokoro agreed.

 

 

_Was she lying to us?_

 

 

_Maybe I was_ right _not to trust her after all…_

 

 

All of a sudden, there was a clatter from a nearby building.

 

 

Spooked, the child dropped Korokuma!

 

 

‘More monsters!?’

 

 

‘Oof!’

 

 

The bear hit the ground butt-first.

 

 

‘Erm, Mistress?

 

I believe my tailbone has smashed’.

 

 

‘Oh no!’ Kokoro cried out remorsefully.

 

 

‘I’m sorry, Korokuma!

 

I didn’t mean to, I promise!!’

 

 

’Tis alright…’, he said calmly ‘I know it couldn’t be helped’.

 

 

Quickly scooping him up, the terrified little girl looked for a place to hide.

 

 

‘Might I suggest over there by those garbage cans?’

 

 

‘Yes!’

 

 

So seeing, she raced over to them!

 

 

 

And just in time, too.

 

 

 

For no sooner had she crouched down behind them, then a leering Monochrome Beast sliced-and-diced a hole in the wall with a staccato  _S-K-R-I-I-I-ITCH!!_

 

 

The warped stucco gave out a high-pitched groan as it collapsed.

 

 

Stomping into the spot Kokoro had been previously, it gave a cursory scan of the entire area, shrugged, and then waddled off to continue its unholy mischief.

 

 

 

Kokoro let out a thankful breath behind her hands.

 

 

 

_That was almost too close!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should go to bed. But I don't want to, yet.


	3. Alone No More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The city isn't as quiet as it first appears.

Cautiously peeking around the edges of her sanctuary, the child did a little scanning of her own.

 

 

‘Looks like the coast’s clear!’

 

 

‘Good’, Korokuma whispered.

 

 

‘But it should probably be said that if one was just here, then more may be on the way’.

 

 

‘Yeah!’

 

 

 

On their mission to reach the houseboat once more, the two companions hurried down the main thoroughfare.

 

 

The closer they got to their destination, the louder the sounds of the ocean became.

 

 

 

Awesome! Kokoro thought with an unparalleled joy, We’re going to make it!!

 

 

 

That’s when a bullet zoomed past her face.

 

 

 

‘Stop…’

 

Don’t come any closer!!

 

 

 

Not only did she stop in her tracks, but she also nearly dropped Korokuma again!

 

 

 

‘Oogh-!’

 

 

 

This time, he clung to her arms for dear life!!

 

 

 

As they stood there, adrenaline pulsing through their veins, 

a lone man shuffled out from behind a dented Cadillac, tiny pistol at the ready.

 

 

When he saw that the object of his ire was a _kid_ , his eyes widened.

 

 

‘Oh s*!’

 

 

He hurriedly slipped the gun into his pocket.

 

 

 

‘I thought you were one of those Monokumas!!’

 

 

 

‘Monokumas-?’

 

 

The idea that he wasn’t trying to poke holes in her made her feel relieved and nervous at the same time.

 

 

‘Yeah…’

 

 

He ran a hand through his unkempt hair.

 

 

‘Those b*ds ruined my whole family!

 

Broke into our house, and everything’.

 

 

She saw him swallow back a sob.

 

 

‘I was the only one who managed to escape…’

 

 

‘I’m very sorry sir’.

 

 

 

‘It’s fine’.

 

 

 

He was blinking rapidly, hoping to dry off the tears.

 

 

‘It’s not like it’s your fault or anything…’

 

 

His teeth gnashed together in rage.

 

 

‘It’s those beasts!

 

If I knew how to get rid of them, I would-‘

 

 

He caught sight of Korokuma.

 

 

‘Oh my God!!

 

You had one with you this entire time!?”

 

 

‘Oh-Mister-he’s no harm, really-!!’

 

 

 

 

 

BANG

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're updating again! WHOO!!


	4. One Shot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Korokuma is not doing alright.

‘!!!’

 

 

…

 

 

She didn’t think he would actually shoot him

 

 

 

Korokuma was lying on the asphalt.

 

 

**Bleeding.**

 

 

 

‘Mn…’

 

 

 

The man blew the smoke from his gun, and crept closer to the dying figure.

 

 

‘I can’t believe you're still alive, little girl.

 

Especially with _this_ rat tailing you everywhere!’

 

 

‘He’s not a rat!’ Kokoro cried ‘Why’d you do that!?’

 

 

 

_He wasn’t going to hurt anyone…_

 

 

 

‘Mis…tress…’

 

 

The bear weakly raised a paw.

 

 

‘You…you should go…’

 

 

 

’Nuh-uh!’

 

 

The little girl would not be persuaded to abandon her friend that easily!

 

 

‘He’s gonna hurt you real bad…’

 

 

 

She shook her head.

 

 

 

‘I can’t let him do it!!’

 

 

‘Mistress…please…I’ll follow you, don’t worry…’

 

 

 

She didn’t believe that for one second!

 

 

 

‘No way!’

 

 

 

‘Yeah, little girl.

 

 

**Move over.**

 

 

I’ve gotta finish this guy off while I still can!’

 

 

 

 

He had his pistol at the ready, barrel pointed at the helpless creature's chest.

 

 

 

‘He’ll never hurt anyone again’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't you just love cliffhangers? (:


	5. Runaway

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This little girl will not stand for jerks hurting her friend!

‘NO!!’

 

 

The obstinate little girl threw herself in the way!

 

 

BANG!!

 

 

A gash opened up in the right side of her chest.

 

 

‘What the-!?

 

You _idiot!!_

 

 

The heck do you think you’re doing!?’

 

 

 

’Saving my friend from _you!!’_

 

 

 

And with that, she scooped up her friend, and was halfway down the dock within  _seconds._

 

 

 

For a second, he was stunned.

 

 

Then, he began to race after her!!

 

 

 

' _Hey_ , come back here!!'

 

 

 

Feeling her heart thud painfully between her throat and her mouth, Kokoro ran at top speed down to the lone boat hitched at the very end of the line.

 

 

She raced up the gangplank as fast as her little legs could take her, and then began to frantically search for a place to hide.

 

 

 

 

That man would be there any minute.


	6. Reasons Why

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While trying to stay hidden from a man who would stop at nothing to destroy Korokuma, Kokoro learns an unsettling truth.

His foot falls sounded off the boards of the dock like gunshots—which is what she was afraid might happen to herself and Korokuma…

 

 

_I can’t get caught._

 

 

**_Not. Allowed._ **

 

 

It was then that she spotted a door.

 

 

 

_I have no idea where this leads, but right now, I couldn’t care less!_

 

 

 

She yanked on the handle, but it wouldn’t budge.

 

 

_No!_

 

_You can’t be locked!!_

 

 

Heart sinking, she turned to discover that her pursuer was now thudding up the gangplank himself.

 

 

‘The...heck you...doin’!? he panted, doubling over, 'just...drop the...b* already!’

 

 

 

_No way in a million years!_

 

 

 

Panicking a little bit (as he was literally two feet away from her), she ducked under his arm and plunked down the stairs to the hold.

 

 

 

Which turned out to be a dead end.

 

 

 

_Oh, great!_

 

_**Now** , what?_

 

 

 

...She could always hide in a barrel.

 

 

 

As soon as she had pulled the lid up and over her head, she sat there.

 

 

Listening.

 

 

 

‘Hey kid’.

 

 

 

His creaking footsteps filled her with dread.

 

 

 

‘Did you know a Monokuma was the reason that everything went to s*?’

 

 

No, she didn’t.

 

 

‘Way back when I still worked for the Academy, I knew a girl who used to carry one around all the time.

 

She called it her very best friend’.

 

 

Kokoro felt her heart skip a beat at the parallel.

 

 

‘We didn’t know it then, but that same girl would grow up to become the one who would plunge us all into despair’.

 

 

 

He knocked over a stack of wooden crates somewhere, and she flinched.

 

 

‘D*!’

 

 

She hoped to High Heaven that he wouldn’t _ever_ try to knock over hers.

 

 

 

‘I don’t know what she did to accomplish that, but as soon as the Reserve Course kids started rioting, it seemed like the whole _world_ followed suit!!

 

Murders, robberies, assaults…all those rates went up, and then became exacerbated by _revenge_ murders, robberies, and assaults.

 

 

 

It was H* on earth.

 

 

 

Soon, the War to End All Wars broke out, and devastated **_all._**

 

 

 

 

Some would classify this snowballing of death and destruction as the 'Biggest, Most Awful, Most Tragic Event in Human History’.

 

 

 

**And she got away with it, Scott-free.**

 

 

 

In fact, she got away with it so well, that a bunch of kids, who wanted to be just like her, flipping took over the entire island, just so they could sc* me over!!’

 

 

 

From his uneven breaths…she could tell that he was crying.

 

 

 

‘I lost my entire family to her deluded whims…can’t you see that?’

 

 

 

 

**Can’t you understand why I hate those things so d* much!?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Probably one of my last ones before I have to go to class...


	7. The Flaw In Your Reasoning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An escape plan is in order.

Yes.

 

 

She _could_ understand.

 

 

But that didn’t mean that every, single, robotic bear in existence deserved to die because of it!!

 

 

 

He turned over another stack of barrels and crates.

 

 

CRASH!!

 

 

‘G*D* where _are_ you!?’

 

 

 

He’d **never** find her.

 

 

**Never.**

 

 

 

No sooner had she thought that than the world had turned upside-down!

 

 

 

Spilled out onto the wooden floorboards with a nearly-comatose Korokuma in tow, Kokoro found herself staring up at the tear-stained face of her pursuer.

 

 

 

_‘Finally!!_

 

 

 

BANG!!

 

 

 

This one she blocked with her arm!

 

 

 

 

‘Are you flipping-!?’

 

 

 

 

Ignoring the gnawing pain in her forearm, she bundled up Korokuma once more and was _just_ able to successfully slip out of his grasp.

 

 

_‘Come on!!_

 

What are you, a human roadrunner!?’

 

 

She thudded back up the stairs, and slid down that weirdly-shaped tube thing that all boats seemed to have.

 

 

WHOOSHHH~!!

 

 

It was dark, and a bit bumpy, but it was better than being caught.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always hate when people do this in real life.


	8. Laundry Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forced to switch shelters out of necessity, Kokoro is faced with a new problem: what to do to save her newfound friend.

WHUMPH!!

 

 

As the rush of air that had propelled her into a laundry cart ran out, Kokoro found herself practically submerged beneath clothes, upon clothes, upon clothes…

 

 

It was almost hard to breathe.

 

 

 

_I’ve gotta get out of here, and find that key!!_

 

 

_But first…_

 

 

She had to dig up Korokuma.

 

 

 

_He looks **really** bad..._

 

The gash in his heart kept relentlessly pumping little spurts of oil into the air, and each time it did so, her bear friend would wince in pain.

 

Feeling horrible that there wasn't much she could do for him at the moment, the little girl stripped off her hot-pink jacket, and wound it tightly around his middle.

 

 

_Maybe it'll stop the bleeding._

 

_..._

 

_Maybe..._

 

 

‘Kid?

 

You down here?’

 

 

_Aw, man!_

 

_Doesn’t he ever quit!?_

 

 

She was beginning to think that the answer was ‘no’.

 

 

 

Burrowing as far as she could underneath the prodigious surface of clothes, Kokoro was  _just_ able to hide herself and Korokuma from sight before he entered the room.

 

 

 

‘…D*.

 

I can’t believe you’re this dedicated.

 

Sure wish my own little girl was like you…’

 

 

A deriding laugh.

 

 

‘When we first came to Towa City, we were embarking on a new life.

 

Hope’s Peak had crumbled, and I desperately needed a new job.

 

Towa IT happened to be hiring’.

 

 

She heard him walk right past her, and her stomach churned with fear!!

 

 

‘Back then, it was the most beautiful city this side of the Japanese Isles.

 

Now it’s a s*show.

 

 

But, I guess one good thing came out of this H*; an insanely-powerful air purifier.

 

That’s why part of the sky here is as blue as it always was while the rest…well, I’m sure you’ve seen those nasty red pollution clouds, haven’t you?’

 

 

He laughed again, a low, agonized sound.

 

 

‘Why am I even bothering to tell you any of this?

 

…

 

I don’t know…

 

 

I guess it’s because you’re the only one around to listen’.

 

 

 

Kokoro’s heart ached for him; it really did.

 

 

 

 

But that  _still_ wouldn't be enough to get her to come out!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't guessed it yet, I'm having too much fun. :)


	9. The Chase Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inevitability strikes.

‘Ach, forget it.

 

I’m obviously preaching to an empty room’.

 

 

 

As his footfalls grew farther and farther away, there was a sudden hush.

 

 

 

_...Is it safe?_

 

...

 

_Better wait a few extra minutes just to be sure…_

 

 

 

Unfortunately for her, she didn’t _get_ a few extra minutes.

 

No, what she got instead was yet another bout of being tipped out on her head!

 

 

_M-My arms!?_

 

 

A pile of sheets had somehow become so twisted around her torso, that she could no longer move them from her sides!

 

 

When the world stopped spinning, and she stopped fighting, she found herself once again staring up at the face of the man who wished to kill her friend.

 

 

‘That was very dirty!’ she admonished.

 

 

‘All’s fair in love and justice’, he said darkly.

 

 

Korokuma was tucked under one arm, a continuous stream of golden oil leaking from the hole in his chest.

 

 

 

‘This chase was fun, but now I’ve gotta go and see to it that divine karma is properly meted out’.

 

 

He waved his pistol at her meaningfully.

 

 

 

‘I hope you find that key’.

 

 

 

 

’NO! Come back here!!’ She screamed uselessly, struggling fruitlessly against the linen's grip.

 

 

 

‘Don’t you DARE kill him!!’

 

 

 

SNK.

 

 

The door to the laundry room had finally swung shut.

 

 

 

‘KOROKUMAAA!!’

 

 

 

 

’S*, what’s that noise!?’

 

 

 

 

 

BANG!  


 

_BANG!!_

 

 

 

**THUD.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may or may not be able to finish uploading this today, depending on how much homework I get.
> 
> Just thought I'd let you know! (:


	10. Enemy Infiltrated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emily's boat is no longer as safe as it once was.

Kokoro was chilled by what she’d just heard.

 

 

_Did…did something happen out there!?_

 

 

Sitting up, she pushed with her leg muscles as hard as she possibly could, and successfully rose to a standing position.

 

 

_Thank goodness I won’t have to roll around on the floor to get anywhere!_

 

 

Her arms were still pinned though.

 

 

And her chest and forearm were beginning to _painfully_ scream at her.

 

 

 

_What I get for trying to save him, I guess…_

 

 

**I don't regret it one** **bit.**

 

 

 

Slowly ascending the stairs she found herself having to turn the handle with her _teeth._

 

 

The metal knocked against her molars and she grimaced.

 

 

But, she kept at it…

 

 

 

_I really have to get out of here!!_

 

 

 

It was no use.

 

 

Baby teeth simply weren’t going to cut it.

 

 

 

_Maybe there’s something sharp in here I could use to get loose?_

 

 

 

Heading back down, she scrounged around for scissors, a random tool, anything she could possibly use to get out of this situation!

 

 

Which meant that she leaned over in various places until she almost fell over, and nearly strained her eyes several times to see past the pristine-white façade around her.

 

 

 

_There **has** to be something here!!_

 

 

 

**Crreeaaakk…**

 

 

 

Kokoro froze.

 

 

 

_That was the door._

 

 

_That was the door-_

 

 

 

Worriedly glancing behind her, she saw that it had been held ajar by a foot.

 

 

 

A foot clad in familiar black oxfords.

 

 

 

_Something **did** happen to him._

 

_I **knew** it!!_

 

 

 

Still, staying here wasn’t going to help her any, even _if_ some monstrous thing was prowling around above decks.

 

 

 

Warily, she re-ascended the stairs.

 

 

The man was lying face-down in his own blood.

 

 

 

 

_Oh no..._

 

 

Worried that her friend might have met the same fate, she began to panic.

 

 

 

However...

 

 

He was nowhere in sight.

 

 

 

‘Korokuma?’ she called out hesitantly.

 

 

 

‘Are you there?’

 

 

Looking this way and that for him, her eyes became aware of something quite suspicious:

 

 

A trail of oil droplets leading into the deckhouse where the ship’s wheel was located.

 

 

 

‘Korokuma…’

 

 

Cautiously, she crossed over to it.

 

 

 

He wasn’t at the end of the trail.

 

 

What _was_ there, was a Monokuma Beast!!

 

 

Leering at her, it began to fiddle around with the wheel, while a horrible scraping sound came from outside.

 

 

Turning, she was just in time to witness a kid in a black vest, and a heavy-looking bear mask wrench the barnacle-encrusted anchor halfway up the deck!

 

 

 

_What’s going on?_

 

_Who’s that kid-!?_

 

 

 

Abruptly, the boat started up with a hearty _ROAR!!_ and lurched away from the dock!

 

 

 

The Beast had the key to the ignition!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting close to the end here, folks...


	11. High-Octane Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boat has been hijacked! What will happen to her now...?

‘Whooah-!!’

 

 

As the ground suddenly lurched forwards under her feet, Kokoro was sent flying backwards!

 

 

She hit the wood with a resounding THUD!!

 

 

_Ow…my shoulder…!_

 

 

Gingerly lifting herself to one elbow, the little girl watched in fascinated horror as the Beast and the Kid both fought over the wheel, causing the boat to launch this way, then that, in a never-ending loop.

 

 

Her head began to grow lighter than air, and a sick, nauseous sensation bloomed in her stomach.

 

 

Somehow managing to sit up in such a rapidly-spinning environment, Kokoro witnessed them pull too hard-

 

 

 

KRACK!

 

 

 

The steering wheel broke off.

 

 

 

...And with both of their hands tugging for dominance on the gear stick as well, it wasn’t long until that _also-_

 

 

 

KRUNCH!!

 

 

Stuck firmly in Drive, the boat exploded in speed-and smashed bow-first into a rock!!

 

 

 

The impact shook the entire structure violently.

 

 

Kokoro felt her head ricochet atop her shoulders until she felt sure that it was going to fall off!!

 

 

...

 

 

...

 

 

...

 

 

 

Dazed, it took her a good ten minutes to realize that her two antagonizers were draped over the dash, their limbs limp, their bodies stuck with a thousand deadly shards of glass.

 

 

 

Realizing that this was her chance to get away, she once again attempted to climb to her feet.

 

 

 

She couldn’t do it.

 

 

Her muscles wouldn’t do what she wanted.

 

 

They were too stunned by the crash to do much of anything…

 

 

 

 

Or maybe it was her own mind that was stunned.

 

 

 

At any rate…

 

 

She was helpless to prevent the fifty-something Beasts from clambering through the hole in the windshield-

 

 

 

 

 

The last thing her over-taxed brain registered was a silky, black shadow threading its way among them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm back! 
> 
> Hopefully long enough to finish this story.


	12. Mysterious Savior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The 'Shadow' reveals itself at last.

‘It’s time to wake up now…little girl…’

 

 

 

 

Kokoro’s body was killing her.

 

 

Her chest wound had created a bright-red flower on her cream-colored shirt, and the wound on her forearm was an angry, inflamed magenta.

 

 

_Ouch…_

 

 

Painfully sitting up, the little girl put her hands to her aching head.

 

 

 

_…I’m not face-down on the floor like that other man was._

 

 

_Good for me._

 

 

 

But-

 

 

 

‘Korokuma!?’

 

 

 

Her eyes were having trouble focusing.

 

 

All she could see at the most were random blips of light and shadow.

 

 

 

‘Korokuma…are…you out there?’

 

 

 

‘You won’t find him here’.

 

 

 

The unfamiliar voice made her start.

 

 

 

‘Who…is it…?’

 

 

She caught a fleeting impression of woolen gloves wiping the sweat off her forehead.

 

 

 

‘A friend.

 

 

I was able to save you from the boat crash.

 

 

 

Do you remember it?’

 

 

 

 

She tried.

 

 

 

All she could come up with though, was…

 

 

 

Being carried out of a sinking edifice, warm arms keeping back the fierce, glaring pain-

 

 

 

'No...

 

 

Not really’.

 

 

 

She heard a sigh.

 

 

 

‘I guess it can’t be helped.

 

 

You _did_ hit your head pretty hard’.

 

 

 

_Had_ she?

 

 

She didn’t _recall_ doing that…

 

 

 

Then again, she didn’t recall much of anything right now.

 

 

 

 

‘What’s…your name?’

 

 

 

‘What’s yours?’

 

 

 

Her reply was automatic.

 

 

 

‘That’s dangerous’.

 

 

 

‘Is it?’

 

 

 

She thought she saw a brief smile.

 

 

 

‘In that case, allow me to go first…’

 

 

 

 

Footsteps.

 

 

Coming right up to her.

 

 

She fought down the urge to feel nervous.

 

 

 

The person had saved her, right?

 

 

Maybe it was a silly way to think, but…if they’d wanted to do bad to her, would they really have waited this long?

 

 

 

She heard fabric crinkle as whomever it was lowered themselves down to one knee.

 

 

 

‘My name’s Abdiel.

 

 

I’m the only adult they trust’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more left, guys...


	13. Summoned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kokoro's in the Lion's Den. And they want to see her. Soon.

‘’They’?

 

 

‘The New Warriors’.

 

 

Kokoro was almost sure now, that he was rooting around in his pocket for something.

 

 

The crinkling noises she kept hearing were telling her _that_ much at least…

 

 

 

‘When I first met them, I was but a lowly homeless man by the side of the road.

 

 

I didn’t know who they were…

 

 

...And I didn't care.

 

 

I just noticed that they were looking a little starved.

 

 

So I gave them the food I'd spent all day scrounging up for myself.

 

 

 

They were shocked'.

 

 

 

‘How come?’

 

 

 

‘Because, apparently, I was the only adult they'd ever met who was nice to them out of genuine goodness, and not some twisted desire to use and abuse them’.

 

 

 

He withdrew his hand with a soft _slp_ -ing sound.

 

 

 

‘They were extremely grateful to me as a result, and offered me shelter’.

 

 

 

He gestured around the space that she could not see.

 

 

 

‘The rest is history’.

 

 

 

‘That’s an awfully interesting history’.

 

 

 

‘Why thank you’.

 

 

 

 

She was half-tempted to say that he’d made it up.

 

 

 

But she didn't.

 

 

 

‘Now, what’s _your_ name?’

 

 

‘Ko…koro’.

 

 

A bad thing to do.

 

 

But as she was now, she didn’t think she’d be able to lie very well…

 

 

‘Hm…’Kokoro’…

 

What a pretty name…

 

 

I wish mine was half as gorgeous’.

 

 

 

She couldn’t help it.

 

 

She laughed at that.

 

 

 

’’Abdiel’ is an angel’s name’, she said.

 

 

‘Yes, that’s right…I ‘d almost forgotten’.

 

 

 

He patted her on the shoulder.

 

 

 

’So I guess we both have pretty good names, huh?’

 

 

‘Yeah’.

 

 

 

That was the second Stranger she’d met today who’d seemed really nice.

 

 

Emily had been the first, but…

 

 

 

‘Hey, what’s wrong?

 

You look…sad’.

 

 

 

‘A lot of people I knew are lost’.

 

 

She shivered slightly.

 

 

‘It’s scary…’

 

 

‘Yeah.

 

I can understand that’.

 

 

 

He didn’t say anything more after that…and she was glad.

 

 

 

Suddenly, he jumped, as if caught unawares by someone.

 

 

‘Right, right…okay’.

 

 

‘Who’s that?’

 

 

‘The New Warriors’.

 

 

 

**They want me to bring you to them as soon as possible.**

 

 

 

She felt something being shoved into her hands.

 

 

‘You’re going to need this for the way there!

 

Just don’t tell them about it, okay?’

 

 

‘Okay…’

 

 

A small sigh of relief escaped his lips.

 

 

‘Good…’

 

 

She heard the chafing of his pants against the mattress, and before she knew it, he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that concludes Part 3! 
> 
> Be sure to stick around, though, because there's plenty more to tell.

**Author's Note:**

> Are you ready?


End file.
